Fireman&#39;s tool



Ot. 10, 1944. T. L. SADLER 2,360,153

EI'REMANS TOOL Filed Sept. 25, 1942 76 INVENTORL ThomasL. Sadl ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREMAWS TOOL Thomas L. Sadler, West Hartford, Conn.

Application September 23, 1942, Serial No. 459,419

1 Claim.

possible reversely to operate a pin lug equipped coupling with a spanner wrench while the latter remains in contact with the periphery of the coupling and by simply reversely shifting the opposite ends of an elongated aperture in the spanner into engagement with 'the lug. However, it has heretofore been impossible thus reversely to rotate a rocker lug equipped coupling, it instead being necessary to take off the spanner and, reversing it end for end while removed .from the coupling, thereafter reversely reapply it to the lug in order to effect such reverse movement of this type of coupling. Further, while spanners adapted to use with either a pin lug or a rocker lug have been proposed, these similarly have required removal and manual reversal .of the spanner relative to the lug in order to eifect reverse rotation of couplings equipped with either type of lug. Thus, due to these various objections, it has been the general practice in fire departments using hose couplings of both types, to provide the firemen with two spanners, one adapted to use with one type of lug and the other adapted to use with the other. This has given rise to confusion and delay, while reversal of a rocker lug equipped coupling has in all cases required further delay due to the necessary removal and reversal of the spanner used in connection therewith.

My invention has among its objects to provide an improved firemans spanner whereby these defects in prior devices are overcome. A further object of my invention is to provide such an improved spanner equally adapted to use on either pin or rocker lugs. A still further object of my invention is to provide such an improved spanner having improved means for enabling either type of lug to be reversely rotated by simple reverse rotation of the spanner while in contact with the periphery of the coupling and without requiring either removal or manual reversal of the spanner while removed. Other objects of my invention are to provide such an improved spanner adapted to impart an eifective hammer blow to either type of lug when either end of the same is brought into contact with the lug, and such a spanner which is of a. construction adapted to be effective in use irrespective of weather conditions, and to withstand abuse, while also being capable of being readily and inexpensively manufactured. These and other objects and advantages of my improvements will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment 'Which my invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spanner of my improved construction, equipped with the usual hose loop or rope;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, the rope being removed to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the spanner;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Fig. 5 is a, section on line 55 of Figure 1;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the spanner in use on a pin lug equipped coupling, the spanner being shown in full and dotted lines in its different relations to the pin;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line of Fig- Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the spanner in full and dotted lines when in use on a rocker lug equipped coupling, and

Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Figure 8.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a spanner having a usual hooked handle I and usual hose rope 2 connected to the latter, the opposite end from the hook herein being provided with an improved spanner portion, generally indicated at 3, adapted to cooperate with lugs of either the pin or rocker type, and of an improved construction, as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring more particularly to this spanner portion 3, it will be noted that it includes downwardly curved or sloping oppositely disposed, and preferably identic, extensions 4. Each of these extensions 4 herein is provided at its extremity with a depending lug 5 in such manner as thereby to provide an elongated intermediate arcuate passage 6 between these lugs 5. Further, it will be observed that each lug 5 has a sloping bottom face 1 and that these faces are so disposed relative to one another as to provide a support for the spanner portion 3 on the periphery of a usual coupling. Each depending lug 5 is also preferably provided on its inner face with a rounded groove 8 extending longitudinally thereof, and

also with smaller oppositely and inwardly extending side lugs 9 at its extremity and on adjacent inner faces of the lugs 5 and on opposite sides of the grooves 8 therein, while the tops of the grooves 8 are also preferably connected by a groove I9 formed in the inner face of the passage 6. Attention is also directed to the fact that both the portions 4 and the lugs 5 thereon are of substantial cross section, in such manner as to produce a spanner head of substantial strength and of sufficient, yet not excessive, weight in such manner as to enable, if desired, a substantial hammer blow to be struck any coupling lug engaged by the inner wall of either lug 5. In order further to increase the strength of the structure, it will be noted that longitudinal ribs 4a are provided on the tops of the portions 4, and that both these portions 4 and the lugs 5 are of solid construction without apertures; th only opening being the opening 6 which is adapted to receive either type of coupling lug and permit angular movement of the spanne so that the lug may engage either the surfaces 8 or 9 on either lug 5, depending on the type of lug or the desired direction of rotation thereof.

In the use of my improved construction, it will be-apparent that when the spanner portion 3 is placed upon a coupling l I equipped with pin lugs I2, the parts will assume the relation shown in full lines in Figure 6 when the coupling is to be moved in a clockwise direction; the selected pin I2 then bein received in the groove 8 in one of the depending lugs 5 and between the lugs 9 on the latter, as illustrated. Obviously, the pin will thus be securely located while both bottom faces I engage the periphery I3 of the coupling. Also, it will be evident that should it be desired to start the rotation of the coupling II by a hammer blow, such a blow is obtained by merely moving the handle I counter-clockwise slightly and then again moving it in a clockwise direction. Further, it will be evident that when it is desired to rotate the coupling I I counter-clockwise, this is readily accomplished by simply swinging the spanner from the full line position indicated in Figure 6 to the dotted line position therein, whereupon the pin i2 will be engaged by the groove 8 in the other lug 5 in such manneras to apply a starting blow quickly and effectively, and all while the surfaces I on the spanner remain in contact with the periphery I3 of the coupling and without requiring either removal, manual reversal, or re-app-lication of the spanner to the coupling. y

The operation of my improved spanner in connection with a rocker type lug will be apparent from Figure 8, wherein the spanner is shown in full lines as used when such a lug I4 is being rotated in a clockwise direction. When used on such a lug, however, the side lugs 9 on opposite sides of the grooves 8 will be received in an undercut portion I5 on the lug I4. Moreover, it will be noted that the lugs 5, and therefore the lugs 9 thereon on opposite sides of each groove 8, are of such width as to engage the rocker lug I4 at points adjacent its opposite ends, in such manner as thereby to provide a very effective action on the latter. Moreover, whenever it is desired to reverse the rotation of the coupling I6 equipped with such rocker lugs, the handle I is merely moved counter-clockwise from the full line position shown in Figure 8 to the dotted line position therein, while the surfaces I remain in contact with the periphery I! of the coupling,

heretofore described in connection with pin lugs. 7

As a result of my invention, it is made possible to reduce by half the equipment necessary to be furnished and carried by each fireman. Further, my improved spanner markedly expedites and facilitates the work of each fireman in connecting and disconnecting a line of hose, it being immaterial what type of coupling he is connecting, or which end of the spanner he places thereon. Moreover, merely by reversely swinging the handle while the surfaces I are in contact with the coupling, he may obtain either a hammer blow on the coupling lug or effect a reverse rotation of the coupling with such a starting blow, with both facility and speed. Attention is also directed to the rugged structure provided, as well as to the fact that the spanner head is of such construction, with the lugs 9 on the inside, the lugs 5, and no external sharp edges on the portions 4 or 5, as to minimize the chance of injury of the hands. Also, the open sides of opening 6 are of such dimensions as to permit ready access to the grooves 8, II] when desired. These and other advantages of my improvements will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

It will be observed from Figs. 6 and 8 that the innermost facing portions 9 of the end lugs are in operative positions arranged substantially radially of the hose. When the tool is used on a hose with cylindrical pins, this brings the inner limits of the lugs 9 approximately tothe center line of the pin, as shown in Fig. 6. The curvature of the arcuate cross head 4 is such that the arc is substantially concentric with the hose, the lugs being located at the ends of the arc in inwardly projecting converging relation. As appears from Figs. 6 and 8, the spanner has the important advantage that, while one lug is engaged with 'a hose projection for uncoupling purposes, the other lug engages at its free end with the hose to afford an effective bearing of the spanner on th hose for movement in acircumferential direction, no additional bearing of the spanner on the hose being needed. In other words, while one lug is engaging a hose projection in wrench fashion, the other lug is positioning the first lug and the tool for the releasing movement which is to follow. Each of the lugs projecting inwardly from the barlike body of the cross head has an end surface adapted to bear against the hose at the free end of said lug to act as a bearing and positioning surface while the other lug is used as an engaging and turning member, said lugs serving as the sole means supporting the cross head on the hose during the turning operation and the space defined by the opposing faces of the lugs and the adjacent concave surface of the body being entirely open and clear when the tool is in use except for the hose projection which is being engaged.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form has been chosen for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

A firemans tool comprising an elongated handle member, a crosshead attached to the inner end of the handle member having a barlike body curved lengthwise on an are substantially symmetrically disposed with reference to the handle member and having the arc substantially concentric with a hose engaged by the tool, and lugs carried by said body at the ends of said arc and having bodies projecting therefrom in substantially straight lines lying in inwardly converging planes, said. lug bodies having grooved portions facing each other shaped to engage straight cylindrical projections and also having small side lugs to engage under undercut projections extending outwardly from a hose, each of said lug bodies having a transversely disposed end surface adapted to bear against the hose at the free end of said lug body to act as a bearing and positioning surface while the other lug body is used as an engaging and turning member coacting with a projection, said transversely disposed end surfaces serving as the sole means supporting the crosshead on the hose during the turning operation and the space defined by the opposing faces of the first mentioned lugs and the adjacent concave surface of the crosshead being entirely open and clear when the tool is in use except for the hose projection which is being engaged.

THOMAS L. SADLER. 

